


A Study in Duets

by LadyLaran



Series: Redefining [3]
Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Case Fic, F/M, Female John Watson, Gen, Genderbending
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-01
Updated: 2016-01-02
Packaged: 2018-03-15 18:12:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3456938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyLaran/pseuds/LadyLaran
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sherlock discovers a new thing about his flatmate and a new case emerges.  This is the third in the "Redefining" series.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prelude

**Author's Note:**

  * For [oleanderhoney](https://archiveofourown.org/users/oleanderhoney/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Afters](https://archiveofourown.org/works/914021) by [oleanderhoney](https://archiveofourown.org/users/oleanderhoney/pseuds/oleanderhoney). 



> Author’s Note – I decided to draw from my roots on this one and create a case story that encompasses something dear to my heart. I hope this turns out well and that everyone enjoys this. So far, I’ve gotten fantastic responses on the first two stories in this series and it’s really boosted my confidence. Especially since the amazing OleanderHoney has been following me on this journey and encouraging me with her reviews. Her “Colors” series has been a huge inspiration for me and if you haven’t read it yet, go do so! You will not regret it.
> 
> For those joining me on this journey for the first time, I suggest you start with the first story, “A Study in Partnership” and then “An Attempt at an Olive Branch.” Otherwise, you might be lost on what’s going on and the history laid down in those two stories. This tale takes place two weeks after “A Study in Partnership.”
> 
> Disclaimer – I do not own “Sherlock” nor do I make any money from this. I just enjoy torturing the characters for my own amusement.

The case had gone smoothly, and Johanna was rather pleased by that. No injuries, the criminals had been captured with relative ease, and she was content with how everything had unfolded. Her flatmate seemed to be happy as well, flagging down a cab after they had exited the headquarters for New Scotland Yard. He held the door for her as she entered the vehicle, settling into the seat.

“Dine in or take out tonight,” she asked, knowing he would be famished due to his habit of not eating when he used more energy towards his thought processes than normal. It was something Johanna was attempting to slowly correct, not liking how run down he could get during cases. So far, she hadn’t been too successful but given they’d only been partners for two weeks, Johanna knew she would need more time to soften the habit.

“I’m thinking dine in, but I need to make a stop first,” Sherlock answered, giving instructions to the cabbie. The physician didn’t recognize the address and quickly queried her friend about it.

“Where are we going?”

“Davenport’s,” he answered, tucking his mobile into his pocket. “It’s a music shop I have frequented for a long time. I need new strings and more rosin, and I also want to see if they have had any deliveries of new sheet music. New material would be appreciated, and I am low on blank manuscript paper as well.”

Oh yes, she’d almost forgotten about that. Sherlock had been playing the night before, and she’d been treated to the odd sight of her flatmate getting angry when the E string had broken. The detective had been in a right strop when he’d realized that he didn’t have replacement strings, but that had died when the flash of inspiration he’d needed for the case had come.

“Make sure to get a few extra ones in case you snap another since you can be rather rough on the strings at times,” she recommended, knowing of his habit of playing aggressively in an annoying way when Mycroft happened to come by the flat. “Is this shop a string instrument only type store?”

“Oh no, they offer almost any musical instrument you could think of but always of the higher quality. They keep the strings I prefer in stock; most shops wouldn’t due to the expense of them. Davenport’s is a favorite for most of the orchestra members to frequent.”

Given what little she knew about violins, Johanna couldn’t blame Sherlock for wanting the best quality of strings for his instrument. She knew that Stradivarius was the top maker of violins in his day and that they were incredibly rare in this day and age. That was one of the reasons she was careful whenever the instrument was out of its case. Even though the two hadn’t been flatmates for long, she knew just how much he cherished his violin.

The drive to the shop wasn’t long, and she followed Sherlock into the building. Johanna gave a small smile when the man behind the counter greeted her flatmate with a warm tone in his voice.

“Sherlock, it’s been a while. How are you doing?”

“Tolerably well, Andrew. I see that Daniel finally agreed to marry you,” Sherlock observed, leaning against the counter as he stripped his gloves off.

“He has, and we were hoping you’d play for us. Daniel has this idea of you playing instead of a piano or organ,” the owner said to the detective, who gave the man a soft, crooked smile.

“It would be my pleasure,” the curly haired male. “Just text me with the details and we’ll work something out.”

“Thank you,” he answered, then tilted his head. “Who is this with you today?”

“This is my flatmate, Dr. Johanna Watson. We finished up with a case, and I needed to stop by for a few things before enjoying a celebratory meal,” he told him. “Johanna, this is Andrew Davenport.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” the owner said warmly, making Johanna give him a small smile in return.

“It’s nice to meet you too. I like your shop, what I’ve seen of it so far. You mind if I have a look around while you two discuss whatever it is Sherlock needs?”

“Not at all, Dr. Watson. Explore to your heart’s content.”

She smiled again and wandered off, leaving them to chat. The doctor passed the woodwinds section, recognizing a few of the brands of clarinets before heading towards the pianos. Her eyes were drawn to a beautiful cherry finished grand piano, and she headed towards it.

“May I help you?”

Startled, she turned to face another young man as her fingers lightly touched the polished wood. The grain was smooth under her fingertips and cool to touch.

“I’m looking around while my flatmate gets the items he needs for his violin, and I spotted this piano. It’s absolutely gorgeous. Does it sound as beautiful as it looks?”

“Better than,” he said with a chuckle. “Do you play?”

“Some but I haven’t for a while,” she admitted, looking longingly at the instrument. She was aching to play this magnificent looking piano and hear the tone of it for herself.

“You’re welcome to give it a try while you wait on your flatmate,” he offered, recognizing the look on her face. It was obvious she was dying to try it out, and he knew the owner’s policy on these sort of things. Andrew was very keen on allowing pianos to be played as it often lifted the spirits of the shoppers and invited them to purchase the instrument if they found it to be to their liking.

“Are you sure,” she asked, hoping he would confirm his answer. 

“You aren’t carrying food or drinks on you, right?”

Johanna shook her head, wincing at the question. She would never dream of keeping something around that would damage such a beautiful instrument.

“God no, that’d be a horrible thing to keep around this beauty.”

“Then have fun,” he told her, walking away to leave her with the piano.

The doctor slid onto the bench, adjusting it for her height before sliding her coat off. She laid it beside her before placing her fingers into position. A soft sigh of pleasure was heard when a C major chord was played, showing her the quality of sound.

“Oh god, you do sound as gorgeous as you look,” she murmured reverently before diving into a piece that had been one of her favorites as a child.

The sounds of Holst’s “Planet Suite” filled the air, specifically the Jupiter portion. She adored this song even now, and it flowed from her fingertips easily. After she’d finished that, Johanna beamed a bit before dipping into her repertoire to play pieces she could remember. She was rusty but found herself recalling more than she had thought she would. Her hands were quickly remembering how to play, making fewer mistakes the more she played.

Sherlock had finished paying for his order, setting the bag with the strings and rosin into the bag with the sheet music and manuscript paper when the music pulled his attention away from the owner of the store.

“Someone is incredibly talented,” Andrew stated, coming out from behind the counter. The consulting detective could only nod, his eyes gleaming with appreciation. He followed the owner deeper into the store, nearly coming to a shocked halt when he spotted his flatmate playing what looked to be an expensive yet gorgeous piano.

Sherlock had known about her having played the clarinet during her school years, but she had not given any sign of being familiar with other instruments. It amazed him to hear how much talent she had in regards to her piano playing, although the signs of her not having been able to practice were certainly noticeable, and it made him eager to experience just how deep the skills and talent for the instrument went.

Her blue eyes opened when she sensed someone near her and spotted both her flatmate and the store owner close by. Johanna blushed a bit, ending the song before placing her hands in her lap. For some reason, she was a bit embarrassed at having been caught off guard. Usually, the physician always kept herself somewhat aware of her surroundings no matter what was keeping her occupied.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to get so caught up. Have you been standing there long?”

“No, not long,” the shop owner replied, smiling at her. “How long have you been playing the piano, Dr. Watson?”

“I started learning when I was three years old,” she answered, picking up her coat and rising to her feet. “My father had an old piano that belonged to his mum, and he taught me how to play. It was sold after he passed, and it’s rare I get the opportunity to play. I’m afraid I’m horribly out of practice.”

“Difficult to tell from where I’m standing,” Andrew replied. “There were hardly any serious mistakes at all, and you made this piano sing.”

“Easy thing to do with an instrument like this,” Johanna admitted. “Thank you for allowing me to play. Ready to go, Sherlock?”

“I am,” the detective replied. “Andrew, text me the details for the wedding whenever the two of you are ready.”

With that, the two headed out of the shop and Sherlock flagged down a taxi to take them to get something to eat. He slid his mobile out of his pocket, fingers moving agilely over the keys as he wrote the one person he rarely contacted.

~Is the piano Aunt Bronwyn left me still stored at your house? SH~

~It is and was tuned last week. I take it you are interested in having it moved? MH~

For once, Sherlock bit down the urge to send a sarcastic reply. This was a way for him to indulge his curiosity about his flatmate’s hidden talent, and he needed that piano because he knew Johanna would get into a strop if he tried to bring in a new one.  
~I am. SH~

~I will have it dropped off this evening while you are away from the flat. MH~

He set the mobile back into his pocket, leaning back against the seat. Hopefully, his curiosity would be whetted upon their arrival home and there was no way that his stubborn flatmate could object to the instrument’s arrival since it was an heirloom and not an expense. The detective believed she would start to play it once she was relaxed enough to do so and truly believed that he would not raise any objection to her doing so.

In truth, Sherlock was looking forward to that and hoped that he would be able to hear her play in the future. As much as he loved playing, he also enjoyed listening to others perform and had a feeling Johanna would be interesting in her performance once she shook off the effect of years of not playing.

The consulting detective smile as they arrived at their destination for dinner, looking forward to the surprise that would be awaiting his flatmate.


	2. Pianissimo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note – The response to the first chapter was outstanding. You guys are utterly amazing, and I’m so happy to know you guys are enjoying this installment of the series. Music is important to me, and I hope I’m able to convey the love of the art form through the characters in this tale.
> 
> Disclaimer – I do not own “Sherlock” or make any money from this story. I just enjoy playing with the characters.

Dinner passed pleasantly with the two of them occasionally laughing over different things while they enjoyed the delicious meal Angelo had created for them. These were times Johanna savored as Sherlock ate without complaint and kept the conversation interesting. She learned a lot about him during moments like this, and she knew he did the same about her.

The detective ate all of the food on his plate and a portion of the doctor’s, who didn’t complain since her own appetite was still struggling due to her continued recovery from her injury. She didn’t like seeing food wasted and often gave him the rest of her portion if he was still hungry after finishing his own. 

Sherlock was very eager to see the doctor’s reaction to the piano, but he didn’t rush the meal. It was always an enjoyable time when they ate together as it was an opportunity to learn more about her. It seemed that he was always uncovering something new, and it was delightful to realize that the surprises just kept coming when it came to her.

After he paid for the meal, the physician slipped on her coat and followed him out of the restaurant. By unspoken agreement, the pair decided to walk back to the flat. She slid her hands into her pockets, reminding herself once again to find gloves when she was able to.

“I wonder how long it’ll take me to adjust to the temperature here again,” she mused, waiting for her fingers to warm back up.

“Considering the length of time you spent in the Middle East, it will take a while,” Sherlock responded. “You need to add a scarf and gloves to your outdoor gear.”

“When I get the chance to,” Johanna answered, knowing her budget was too tight right now. The army pension was enough to cover the basics, and adding to her wardrobe wasn’t a necessity for her at this point in time. She would try to add to her outdoor gear once she was cleared to start working as a doctor again. 

“I take you’ll spend the evening restringing the Strad and tuning it?”

“It’ll take up some of my time, yes,” he replied, already looking forward to getting his violin ready to play. It was annoying when this happened and never good for his temper.

“I just might curl up with a book then,” she informed him. Watching telly would be out of the question since the tuning of the violin required silence so it could be done perfectly.

Sherlock didn’t answer and unlocked the door to the building. He let her in first, closing the door behind them and following her up the stairs to their flat. Once they entered their shared rooms, he stepped around her so he could see the expression on her face when she saw the piano.

Johanna hung up her coat and turned, freezing in shock when she spotted that a part of their living room had been rearranged. An upright piano was against the wall, gleaming in the lamplight.

“Sherlock? Where did this come from?”

“This belonged to my aunt Bronwyn; she left it to me when she passed away a few years ago. I haven’t had the space before now to have it with me. Mycroft had been keeping it for me at his home. Since I now have a flat large enough, he brought it to me.”

He could see her fingers twitch with eagerness to go to the instrument and try it out, and he watched as she moved closer to the piano.

“I didn’t know you played the piano,” she ventured, eyeing it with longing. The time at the grand piano in the instrument shop had brought an old addiction back to life, and the urge to make music was almost a physical pain.

“Not as well as Mycroft does,” Sherlock admitted. “I learned it but showed more promise with the violin. Aunt Bronwyn was determined I continue with the piano as she adored the instrument. She left her piano and her music books to me in hopes I would play it as often as I do the violin.”

Johanna noticed a small bookshelf beside the piano and crouched to see what music books were there. She read over the titles, smiling at a lot of them.

“Your aunt had a very eclectic taste in music. She’s got everything here from classical to pop to new age to Disney. Some of these my father had when I was little,” she commented, pulling one book out to look through it.

“Go ahead and try it out,” the detective offered, setting up a small work station so he could restring the violin. “I know you want to and if she could, she would say that someone needs to play an instrument or it loses its soul.”

“I never thought of it that way,” she told him, taking a seat on the bench and adjusting it. Once she was comfortable, Johanna set the book onto the music stand and opened the cover for the keyboard. The doctor played a chord and smiled.

“Nicely tuned,” she pointed out, and her flatmate shrugged.

“Mycroft ensured it was taken care of, but it hasn’t been played much. He has his own instrument he prefers to play when the mood strikes him. So feel free to play this one as often as you like,” he told her, doing a mental checklist to ensure he had everything he needed for his task.

Johanna turned on the bench, looking at her flatmate for several long moments. She had a feeling he’d had the piano brought over for her but knew he’d never admit to it. A soft smile curved her lips as she turned back to the music book, hands settling over the keys.

“Sorry in advance for the mistakes,” she called out, knowing how much of a perfectionist the man could be.

“You’ve not played in a long while,” he returned. “Apologize for the mistakes by practicing enough so I won’t be continually tortured by wrong notes.”

The doctor laughed and chose the first song in the book, one that she remembered her father enjoying. The sound of Pachelbel’s Canon in D filled the flat, and she winced enough for both of them each time she hit a wrong note. The blond haired woman forced her way through the piece and shook her head.

“Too damned rusty,” she muttered, then began running through the warm up exercises she’d had to memorize as a child. It was the best way to help wake up her muscle memory as well as refresh her mind on key signatures.

Sherlock didn’t say a word as she went through scales and arpeggios. She was hesitant at first, but the hesitance slowly disappeared as her confidence began to grow. The warm up exercise was gone through several times before the piano stopped singing, and he looked up from his work to find her watching him.

“Thank you, Sherlock. It really means a lot to be able to play again,” she said to him.

The genius waved off her gratitude and pointed at the music book, silently demanding she continue playing. The doctor laughed softly, looking for something a bit simpler to run through this time. It didn’t take long before she found another familiar piece and the sound of Brahms filled the flat.

She played for a while, enjoying the ability to do so, and the short haired woman was smiling with unfettered joy by the time she was finished. Johanna couldn’t remember the last time she was this relaxed, and she knew she would make use of this piano as much as she possibly could.

After she stopped, Sherlock took advantage of the silence by beginning the process of tuning the violin. The doctor said nothing while she silently closed up the piano and put the book away, finding the library book she’d been reading and curled up on the couch to read.

With his back to her, the detective gave a satisfied smile. He’d learned quite a bit about her just from observing her while she’d played, and the information he’d uncovered was both fascinating and disturbing. It was obvious the music was something that connected her to her father, who had taught her, and he couldn’t help but be infuriated with the woman who had sold the instrument and didn’t allow Johanna the ability to continue with the activity she so enjoyed.

Sherlock had also learned just how particular his flatmate was when it came to her approach to music. If she got something wrong, she would go back and work until she was able to play that section five times without a mistake before allowing herself to go forward. It was a meticulous habit that would have followed her into other activities she participated in. 

Thinking on it, the consulting detective conceded that the habit most likely had affected her studies, making her push for perfection, and he had to wonder if there had been any detrimental side effects to the practice. His mother and brother had often tried to soften the habit in himself, worrying about burn out, and Sherlock wasn’t too sure if Johanna had someone in her past that would have done that for her.

The more he thought on it, the more he realized that there was quite a bit he still didn’t know about his flatmate. Johanna was open to a point, but she really didn’t speak much about her family, childhood, or her time in the military. 

It was a bit frustrating for him since he was used to being able to read people easily, but he found it fascinating too. A part of him hoped that he would never get to the end of the book that was Johanna Watson because she never disappointed him.

The piano had been a good addition to the flat, and he would continue to observe her while she played so he could try to read more about her. 

Sherlock pulled his thoughts back to the instrument he was tuning and allowed the rich tones to fill the air once the Strad was ready to be played properly. He let his mind drift with the music, allowing himself to feel at peace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s End Note - I’m not as pleased with this one, but the transition is needed so I hope it works for everyone. Thank you for reading, and please let me know you thought of the chapter. See everyone soon, Laran.


	3. Etude

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note – Okay, so word of warning, I am not a pianist. I’m a flute player that has had some training in playing the piano so I will probably make some mistakes from here on out. If I do, please let me know and I’ll try to avoid the mistake in the future.
> 
> Thanks to everyone for the amazing reviews and kudos you left for me. I love hearing your comments, and you challenge me every time!
> 
> Disclaimer – I do not own “Sherlock” nor do I make any money from this story.

For the next few days, whenever Sherlock wasn’t trying to dissolve the kitchen table in acid or other caustic chemicals, Johanna focused herself on bringing her skills on the piano back to what she considered to be an acceptable level. Despite the repetition that went on, her flatmate did not complain and that both surprised and warmed the doctor. 

There were plenty of times when she and the consulting detective couldn’t quite make themselves understood in spoken language, but they certainly could through the language of music. In truth, it was marvelous and she loved it. Sherlock seemed to be rather pleased with the new understanding as well and often seemed less stressed than he usually was.

The only gray cloud on her horizon was the fact that her left hand was sluggish and didn’t react with the speed it once had. The nerve damage had made it difficult for her to provide the proper chording and counterpoint to the music written on the treble clef line, and she spent a lot of time trying to work with it. It was difficult keeping her temper when she realized that her injury had made one of her favorite activities more difficult to enjoy.

Sherlock never made mention of the problems, which she was grateful for since she knew she wouldn’t be able to keep her temper from flaring if he had done so. The loss of coordination had been devastating when she’d been told she couldn’t continue on her career as a surgeon and realizing it was affecting something she loved was only making it harder for her not to lash out at everyone while trying to find a way to compensate for it.

Johanna was playing a piece by Telemann, focusing on the music and enjoying the fact that her hand was cooperating for once, when the peaceful atmosphere was ended by the entrance of two men into the flat. She turned on the bench, immediately recognizing Greg Lestrade and Mycroft Holmes.

“Good afternoon,” the doctor greeted politely, gesturing for them to sit down. “Sherlock, we’ve got company!”

The consulting detective emerged from the kitchen, pulling a pair of safety goggles off of his head as he did so. His eyes narrowed at the sight of his brother, and his voice was cool when he addressed his sibling.

“What is it, Mycroft? We don’t have any cake for you so you really don’t have a reason to be here,” he told him, dropping into his usual seat.

“Actually, we have a case for you,” the older Holmes brother informed him, ignoring his brother’s petulant behavior. 

“What, the both of you,” Johanna asked, a bit stunned by the announcement. It was practically unheard of for Scotland Yard and whatever Mycroft’s office was to have the same mystery for her flatmate to solve. 

“I’m afraid so,” Mycroft told her. “We’ve a theft of sensitive information and murder that will affect an international competition that will be taking place in a few weeks. I had an agent in place to investigate rumors of illegal smuggling.”

“Said agent was found dead in her flat, garroted by one of her spare strings,” Lestrade told them, handing the crime scene photos to Sherlock to peruse.

“So you came to me with this? Surely you can find another agent to fill in for this competition.”

“That’s the problem, little brother. She was the only one in my agency who could play the violin well enough to compete. As it stands, you’re the only option I have left to send in undercover.”

“Are you talking about the Stradivarius Violin Competition,” he asked, sitting up straight and staring at his brother.

“I am,” Mycroft informed him. “As I mentioned, it’s being hosted in London this year and there are several key people that may have a hand in the smuggling of certain government documents out of the country. No one thinks to check the instruments as many of the competitors use violins that are incredibly valuable.

“I need you to enter, find out who is the mastermind behind all of this as well as who murdered Agent Brennan.”

“In order to do this, I’m going to have to work my way through various levels of competition before I can get close to the sponsors of this event,” Sherlock warned. “Which means I’m going to have to divide my attention between the music and the investigation.”

“I understand, Sherlock,” he told his brother. “You’re the only one I know of that has the skills and talent to do this. Multitasking is your forte after all.”

Sherlock typed in some information into his mobile’s web browser, reading over a few things before looking up at his sibling.

“You can get me and my chosen accompanist into this competition? They don’t hand out invitations to just anyone,” he asked, worried about how his brother would be able to get them in that wouldn’t tip off the people he was going to investigate. 

“I can,” Mycroft assured him. “Master Giuseppe has agreed to sponsor you if you agree to do this. He has strong enough connections in the musical community to get you in without anyone suspecting anything.”

“I’ll need everything you have on this smuggling spy ring,” he told his brother. “Lestrade, I won’t be available for cases until after this is over. I’m going to have to dedicate every moment I have to prepare for this contest, and I can’t afford the distraction.”

“Right, I can do that,” the policeman agreed. “Mycroft has the information the Yard put together on the murder and don’t worry, Anderson wasn’t working forensics on this one.”

“Even better,” Sherlock muttered, then looked to his flatmate. “You’ll want to hold off on posting Jennifer Wilson’s case on your blog like you spoke of doing. You and I will need anonymity while we work on this case.”

“Hold on,” she replied, staring at him in stunned disbelief. “Exactly how am I to help you on this case?”

“Quite simple, Johanna. You are going to be my accompanist for this competition,” he answered, making her gape at him with wide eyes.

“Have you lost your mind? I’m rusty as hell, and my left hand doesn’t quite do what I need it to do when playing. You need a better accompanist for this!”

“You and I read each other well enough,” Sherlock informed her. “That will follow into our music, and you also have the ability to blend in during certain situations. That will be useful for this investigation.”

“Also add to the fact you’re one of a small handful of people that can tolerate him for long periods of time,” Lestrade joked. “Any other pianist would murder him with his own instrument because he would drive them barking mad during rehearsal time.”

“If I do this, I do not want to hear any nagging if I’m a bit slower to get the music learned,” Johanna told Sherlock, knowing him well enough to know that he’d master the music before she would. “I’m well aware of what’s at stake, and I haven’t accompanied anyone in a duet before so this will require patience on your part. Understand?”

“Understood,” the detective replied, turning to his brother as he continued. “I’ll expect you to turn over everything that relates to the case and continue to supply current information as it becomes available. Also, we may need a few things in order to pull off a successful undercover operation.”

As he spoke, his eyes shifted to his flatmate once and the older Holmes understood. Because she couldn’t return to the medical field yet, her income would not allow for the clothing needed to blend in during this competition.

“I’ll have the files dropped off within the hour and will phone you to get the list of what you need for this,” Mycroft promised, silently showing that he understood what Sherlock had hinted at. “In the meantime, we shall leave you two for your rehearsing. Feel free to ring me should you require anything.”

Sherlock nodded, picking up Johanna’s laptop and opening it as the two men left the flat. Once they were alone, he spoke up, not looking up from the screen.

“You have concerns,” he stated.

“You’re absolutely right I have concerns,” the doctor answered, anxiety making her voice sound sharp. “How in bloody hell are we going to pull this off, Sherlock?”

“With a lot of practicing and planning,” he replied, looking up at her. “Yes, it will be difficult to learn enough music for this competition and to be able to play together in a harmonious way that shows we have done this for a while. However, I have faith in your ability to do this, Johanna. If the music we choose should be a problem for your left hand, we can rearrange the pieces so you can compensate for it.”

“Damn it,” she muttered, unable to argue against his logic. “Okay, I’ll do this. How long do we have before we need to decide which pieces we are going to use?”

“I’d like to have them picked out no later than the day after tomorrow,” the detective said, looking back down at the screen. “I am going to find a list of songs on youtube and play them for you so we can decide together on which ones we want to have prepared for the competition.”

“Right, in the meantime, we need to find some simple duets that are here in the flat,” the woman informed him. “While we can read each other perfectly while on cases, we’ve never tried playing duets together and I need to learn how to follow you. I’ve never done this before, and I need to master it as well as the pieces we choose. If I can’t read you well enough to follow you musically, then we won’t make this work at all.”

“That idea has merit,” he told her. “There are books on the shelf that are specifically for violin and piano. Find them and see which ones you would like to use for us to start learning to read each other. I’ll start on the list and join you once you’re ready.”

Johanna nodded, moving to the shelving unit that held all of the music books and sheet music for both violin and piano. As she thumbed through the books, the doctor wondered what the hell she had gotten herself into this time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s End Note - I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. I get to go through youtube for duets so I know what I’m going to focus on for future chapters. Please let me know what you thought of the chapter! ~ Laran


	4. A Variety of Preparations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note – Once again, another delay in posting due to losing internet and catastrophic computer failure. I apologize and hope that things will continue to remain in good order so I can keep on writing and posting! Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed.
> 
> Disclaimer – I do not own “Sherlock” nor do I make any money from this story.

The next day was an exercise in frustration that disguised itself as fun for part of the time. Johanna spent more time at the piano than she had since her flatmate had brought it in, and she was finding it interesting to see what she could do when it came to following Sherlock as he played along with her.

The doctor had found that the ability to read him also applied when they were playing together. The first song they’d attempted was Pachelbel’s Canon in D, which was one of her favorites, and he’d made sure to follow the music perfectly for the first few run throughs. Johanna had been able to match him whenever he changed tempo or held notes out for more emphasis.

Once they were sure she was comfortable with it, Sherlock began changing things up by forcing her to take the melody at times when he switched back and forth from the main melody to the supporting one. It had shocked her the first time, but she’d managed to roll with it and pick up his intentions fairly quickly.

The detective had ordered their meals in, not wanting to waste rehearsal time by going out, and the pair of them had eaten meals while listening to songs on youtube to determine which pieces they wanted to learn. Johanna was terrified by the music he was leaning towards; they were beautiful but sounded so very complicated, and she wasn’t sure she was good enough to handle it. Her doubts became even more entrenched when her left hand played up more and more as the hours of repetitive practicing rolled by.

Once they’d come to a decision regarding the music, Sherlock placed an order for the sheet music and put a rush on it. He would have to do some rearranging to help with the difficulties Johanna was experiencing with the limitations of the nerve damage and would need time to get the arrangements done so they had time to learn the music before the competition.

The curly haired male had been rather impressed with her emotional control; he’d thought she would have given into a rage to burn off her frustrations rather early given how hard he was driving them to learn how to read each other before the music arrived, but she hadn’t. The doctor had kept her calm, forcing herself to work through the handicap, but he knew she was getting close to losing her temper.

The expected strop came when Sherlock informed her they had an appointment and escorted her to a very nice dress shop that he knew his mother frequented during her occasional trips into London. Johanna had balked outside the doors, staring at him with eyes full of mixed emotion.

“Why are we here?”

“You will need some outfits for the competition,” he answered. “I’ve seen what you have, and none of it will work for this case.”

“I can’t do this,” she hissed, nearly shaking as her control snapped. “This is too high end, and I can’t afford it. Even then, I don’t do fancy clothes, Sherlock. I never have, and it’ll show when I’m not comfortable in whatever we find. Discomfort will make me stand out like a sore thumb where you want me to blend in.”

“These will be fitted for you so you will feel more at ease in the outfits,” he reassured her. “Mycroft is paying for this since this case is for him. I know you do not feel comfortable with this, Johanna, but it is necessary. You need to be able to blend in and as it is, at this moment in time, you won’t. You need the clothing and a few other details will also need to be attended to before the competition.”

Sherlock could see that she wanted to protest, and her fury showed in the blue gaze that met his so fearlessly. However, he could also observe that she knew he was right and was infuriated by that. A part of him understood that it wasn’t just the fact that she needed to supplement her wardrobe that upset her but rather that her circumstances didn’t allow for her to do it herself. The consulting detective also had a suspicion that her views regarding her personal appearance were also causing a lot of her discomfort and agitation regarding the situation they were facing. In light of that, he wondered how she would handle the hair appointment and manicure that were to be given a few days before the competition was due to start and wondered if he shouldn’t get Mycroft or his minion to handle it for him.

“Fine,” she capitulated, stalking into the shop after her flatmate opened the door for her.

“Sherlock,” a warm female voice called out as a tall, plump woman hurried to greet him. “It is so good to see you. How are you, and how is your lovely mother?”

“Doing well, Tessa, and I believe she is planning a trip to see you fairly soon,” he answered, kissing her cheek. “Now, I would like to present my friend and flatmate, Dr. Johanna Watson. She’s the one I spoke to you about.”

“Oh yes,” the auburn haired woman said, beaming a smile at the obviously uncomfortable Johanna. “It’s nice to meet you, dear. I’m Tessa Deveraux, owner of this shop. Sherlock said you would need a few things for a competition you both are entering?”

“It’s nice to meet you too,” Johanna answered, trying to be polite even though she was feeling stressed over this. “Yes, I’m his accompanist at a violin competition and he seems to think I need to be dolled up for the event.”

“He’s right,” she said, guiding them deeper into the shop. “Most of the competitors come from money or are sponsored by people with money, and you’ll want to give a neutral impression if not a good one. Now, tell me, Dr. Watson, what do you not want in a dress or dressy outfit?”

“Nothing sleeveless or with a low back,” she replied. “I was injured not long ago, and the scarring is too vivid to be ignored. I’m not comfortable with putting it on display.”

Tessa nodded, making notes on a small tablet she carried with her. The woman would do her best to find something that would help the small blond haired doctor blend in with the other competitors and still allow her to remain as comfortable as possible.

“I can work with that,” she replied. “Anything else?”

“No long skirts or dresses,” Johanna stated adamantly. “It needs to be something I can move in easily. I hate feeling confined by clothing. As short as I am, some outfits require heels and that’s out. I can’t wear them.”

“Can’t, dear?”

“Another injury, I have to wear a brace on the ankle at all times. It’s rather obvious if I’m in anything but trousers and drawing attention to ourselves isn’t a good thing,” she replied, fingers twitching as she resisted the urge to start playing with her jumper. 

“You live an active lifestyle, correct,” the other woman asked, looking up at the nervous physician.

“I do,” the former military woman answered. “I’ll be honest, I feel more comfortable in denims and jumpers than anything else. I get cold easily, and I do prefer softer fabrics when I can get them.”

One thing Johanna enjoyed was something Sherlock hadn’t discovered yet was that her pajamas and sleep attire were made from soft cottons and other fabrics that were gentle against her skin. She didn’t have too many since she didn’t have a lot of money but after so many years wearing military issued attire, the softer materials were a luxury.

“I can work with this,” Tessa assured her, setting her tablet down as she did so. “Fortunately, the first rounds of the competition mean you can get away with wearing a pair of dress slacks and the like. I can think of a few styles to start with, but the last round or two will demand something flashier than a simple suit. I have a few ideas of what to try, but we’ll wait and get you measured first.”

She led the woman into a private room and had her strip down to her undergarments. Johanna stood still, letting the auburn haired female look her over before whipping out the tape measure. Nothing was said of the massive scars on the front and back of her left shoulder or the ankle brace that stood out like a sore thumb.

“As a doctor, I don’t suppose I need to tell you that you’re underweight,” Tessa said softly.

“No, you don’t,” Johanna replied in a calm voice, knowing the woman was concerned. “The injury and recovery took a lot out of me, and I was sick for quite some time after I was wounded. I’m regaining muscle mass, but it takes time since I’m still on restriction for certain types of activities.”

The other woman nodded, quoting a numerical figure that Johanna recognized as her ideal weight for her height and bone structure.

“That’s about right,” the doctor told her. 

“What I’d like to do is find you the right attire that can be adjusted once you’re back to full health,” Tessa informed her. “It’ll mean coming in for measuring again, but that’s fairly simple and not too time consuming. This way you can get more use out of the clothing and won’t have to worry about not being able to fit into them once you reach your target weight again.”

“I’d appreciate that,” she replied, grateful the store owner had suggested this. “I’m not a fan of having something I won’t be able to wear again; it seems a waste of money to me.”

“I agree,” Tessa said with a smile. “Which is why I want to do this for you so you’ll be able to get more use from the clothing. Now, before I forget to ask, he’s doing this for a case, isn’t he?”

“He is,” Johanna said, getting a feeling that this woman knew her flatmate rather well. “I can’t go into details, but it’s very important we’re able to pull this off.”

“He brought you to the right place,” the auburn haired woman answered. “I can understand the need for free movement since trouble seems to follow Sherlock wherever he goes. Now that you’re measured, slip back into your vest and denims and follow me. We’ll go see what we can find for you.”

Bemused, she did as ordered and followed the woman out into the main area of the shop. Sherlock was waiting for them, sitting in a comfortable chair. He looked up when they came in, looking questioningly at his flatmate.

“Everything all right, Johanna?”

“I think it will be,” the blond said, dropping her jumper onto the seat next to him. “She knows what she’s got to work with so we’ll see if she can work a bit of magic to ensure I’m not looking frumpy.”

“Perish the thought,” Tessa snarked playfully when she overheard the physician’s answer. “No one looks frumpy wearing any of my designs; this I promise you.”

By the time their appointment had ended, both the designer and detective had chosen a few outfits that could be mixed and matched with the blouses, jackets, slacks, and skirts that had been picked out. There was also several dresses chosen; each one had a vintage look to them that was rather pretty and seemed to suit the physician quite well.

Johanna had been rather bemused as her choices were overridden by either Sherlock or Tessa. After her fourth choice had been disregarded, her flatmate had jokingly commented that she had the most appalling taste in clothing and it would be better for everyone if she refrained from trying to share her input on this and let them work.

The physician had laughed at his words, allowing him to run the show since fashion wasn’t her thing. When they were done, Johanna was rather pleased with their choices and nearly swallowed her tongue when the price of today’s shopping venture had been announced. It was more than nearly six months of her pension put together, and her stomach twisted anxiously at the amount.

Sherlock didn’t bat an eye, handing Tessa the card that Mycroft had sent for him to use, and picked up the bag that contained a few items that Johanna needed now but wouldn’t get for herself. The rest of the clothing would be ready in a few days, which pleased him, and he would have his brother’s minion retrieve the items once Tessa was finished with them.

“You do realize we’ll have to work a lot of cases to pay him back,” Johanna told him as he flagged a taxi down so they could return home.

“No, we won’t,” Sherlock replied. “This case is one of the bigger cases of the ones that crosses his desk, and he knows that expenses will occur due to the sheer scope of it. Don’t worry about it, Johanna. There’s a lot more to focus on at this moment in time, and worrying will not do you any good.”

“You seem anxious to get home,” she observed as the cab made its way through the busy streets of London. Johanna was eager to change the topic since she knew she wouldn’t be able to win this particular argument.

“I am,” he told her. “The music is due to arrive today, and I have to do some rearranging before we can begin starting to learn it.”

“You’ll get it done quickly,” the blond reassured him, grateful that he was doing what he could to work around her physical issues. “We’ll be ready for the competition once it starts; I’ll make sure of it.”

Sherlock said nothing, knowing she was right. They would be ready, but he just hoped the pair of them could pull this off. This was a competition he had never thought to enter and now that he was, he would privately admit to himself and his flatmate that he was rather nervous about this. There was simply too much that could go wrong, and that meant the pair of them would have to do everything they could to minimize the chances for error.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s End Note - I hope that everyone enjoyed this update. Again, I apologize for the delay. There are days when I despise technology, but it does have its uses! Please let me know what you thought of the chapter. ~ Laran


	5. Research

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note – I only had one chapter ready for this so I’m sorry I can’t give as many updates as I have some of the others. I will do my best to work on this. I’ve had to face a lot of challenges physically and emotionally. Losing my grandfather right before Christmas was enough to destroy what was left of my inspiration. Thank you for your patience.
> 
> Disclaimer – I do not own “Sherlock” nor do I make any money from this story.

The music arrived two hours after their return, and Sherlock grabbed the sheet music and blank manuscript paper to set to work rearranging the pieces to help his flatmate. Johanna took the quiet time to look over the case file that Mycroft and Lestrade had brought them, learning what she could and writing the occasional question on a pad of paper to ask Sherlock once he was finished with his work.

The file contained information on the people who coordinated and headed the competition, and the doctor was quiet as she absorbed details that might be of use. A lot of the individuals had international connections, which could be an innocent thing but would also be of use to whoever the people were that were smuggling state secrets to other countries. There were quite a few who would need to be watched, much to her frustration, but she also knew they would eventually be able to weed out the ones who had the strongest likelihood of being tied to this spy and smuggling ring.

The physician made a list of people she wanted further information on and texted Mycroft with the names, asking for a fully detailed background check on them. Some were from the list of people who ran the competition while others were simple staff members or people competing. 

“You texted Mycroft,” Sherlock observed, not looking up from his work.

“I did,” Johanna answered, eyes focused on the files. “Some of the names stood out a bit; I could swear I recognized two but can’t recall from where. I asked him for background checks on them and just hope he’s as thorough on things as we are.”

“He is,” the detective replied, pencil moving over the manuscript paper. “The three things that can be said about Mycroft is that he is nosy, thorough, and quite addicted to pastry of any kind.”

Johanna laughed softly, shaking her head at his comment. She’d come to laugh a bit at Sherlock’s barbs about his brother. Despite the constant bickering between the two, the doctor knew that if push came to shove, the brothers would find a way to ensure the other one was taken care of. Of course, both would deny it vehemently but she just knew that they would.

“Right, little more I can do with this data until those files get here,” the woman commented, stretching for a moment and then closing the file she’d been reading. “Tea?”

In silent answer, her flatmate simply held out his empty cup and she took it with a laugh. One of the few things Johanna could do in the kitchen was brew a good cup of tea. She could microwave leftovers, and that was about it for her culinary abilities. Sherlock had been baffled when she’d actually set a pot of water on fire; she could use the kettle on the stove but not bring a pot of water to boil without setting it aflame. He’d had her try it four different times, hoping to see what went wrong as he refused to accept that Johanna claimed bad luck and lack of skill.

Mrs. Hudson hadn’t been pleased with the smell coming from their flat, and the detective had been grumpy for several days when he hadn’t been able to determine just how Johanna had managed to do it. The former army surgeon counted herself lucky that Lestrade had brought in a case for her flatmate or the strop could have gone on for a lot longer than it had.

The doctor came back into the living room, setting the cup of tea down near Sherlock but nowhere near the manuscript paper. She watched her flatmate take a long sip and then nod his approval. It hadn’t taken her long to figure out how he took his tea, no milk and more sugar than was probably healthy for the man. The blond haired woman just figured it was how he managed to keep his energy going whenever on case due to his refusal to eat.

Johanna took a seat, picking up her book and started reading while taking sips of tea. Since she’d done all she could for the case at the moment, she was going to try to relax for a bit and work a little on her most recent choice in regards to her hobby. While she absorbed the vocabulary she was learning, the woman kept finding her thoughts being pulled back to the names that had seemed familiar to her.

The blue eyed physician knew she’d heard them from somewhere and didn’t doubt it was most likely from her time in the military. The problem was when and where she’d heard them since she’d had a rather colorful career in Her Majesty’s army. Because of that, she’d come across more than her fair share of enemies against the Crown and the free world. 

She was pulled from her thoughts when she heard the bell ring and hurried downstairs to answer it. Anthea handed her a sealed envelope and nodded at the words of gratitude from the doctor, going back to the car waiting for her. 

After returning to the flat, Johanna grabbed her cup of tea and sat down at the kitchen table, opening the envelope and pulling out the files that Mycroft had sent to her. She opened the first one and began reading, eyes narrowing slightly as she focused on the information the eldest Holmes brother had assembled.

Outside of the two she thought she recognized, it was obvious that one of the people she’d had files pulled was possibly not involved in the crimes they were investigating. The doctor wrote out her observations on a pad of paper and then taped it to the outside of that folder before moving on to another. 

Johanna reviewed one file at a time, leaving notes taped to the front of the folder, and finally, she opened the first of the two that held the names she could swear she knew. The more she read, the more she realized that she did indeed know these people and her stomach tightened after the doctor laid both files down.

The likelihood of neither of them being involved was slim to none and if they were a part of this ring, then things would become very challenging and incredibly dangerous. Keeping Sherlock safe would be difficult if the villains were tipped off in regards to why they were actually at the contest. The genius would have to be a great deal more careful on how he handled things.

“Sherlock?”

“Yes,” the answer was given in a tone that showed his concentration was focused mostly on the music he was arranging.

“The clothing you insisted I have made for me, do you think there’ll be room for my holster without giving away the fact I’m armed,” she asked, getting up to look into the living room.

The detective looked up from his work, eyes honing in on where his flatmate was leaning against the doorframe. The unexpected question had pulled his attention away from the music, and he was working out a reason as to why Johanna would ask such a thing. He could see the signs of concern on her face and tension in her frame, and the man concluded she had found something that had triggered her defenses.

“Are you anticipating that you will require it?”

“If my suspicions are right, then I’ll need it,” she answered quietly.

“Explain,” Sherlock demanded, rising to his feet when she gestured for him to join her in the kitchen.

Once both of them were seated at the table, Johanna began her explanation. She was glad her flatmate respected her intelligence enough to listen to what she had to say without being too derisive about how she’d reached these conclusions.

“I went through the reports Mycroft sent over. Some of them we’ll want to keep an eye on because there’s a chance of them being involved. However, there’s a very high probability that the two names I recognized being involved in this case if not the mastermind behind the smuggling ring,” she told him, handing him the files.

“Some of this is redacted,” the genius complained, glancing up at the woman.

“I know, and I can’t go into detail about how I know of this,” Johanna said quietly. “Just suffice it to say that I ran into these names during my time in the army and what I know of them is enough to raise a lot of flags. We are going to have to be incredibly careful during this investigation.”

If these files were redacted when being sent to them, it meant that his flatmate just might have a security clearance higher than his since she knew the details that he couldn’t read. This would need watching later as it meant another piece to the puzzle that was Johanna Watson.

“In answer to your question, I made sure Tessa was aware that there was a possibility of hand to hand fighting but also that you would be carrying your weapon at least once,” he reassured her. “Once she’s finished, no one will be able to tell that you’ll have the gun with you.”

“Thank goodness,” she replied, relaxing just a tad. “Even though Mycroft made sure I had the authorization to carry it with me, it’d be hard to explain why I’m armed during a musical contest. If these two people are there, they’d be able to notice it if the outfits don’t conceal it properly. The whole operation would be blown right then and there, but I can’t take the risk of not carrying the gun with me.”

“I assure you, the clothing will conceal it,” Sherlock said. “When you go in for the fitting, Tessa asked if you would bring it so she can make sure that the gun cannot be spotted. I’m to go with you because I observe more than most people. If I can’t detect it, no one else will be able to do so either.”

“Good,” Johanna responded. “I’ll need to contact someone this afternoon to inform them that these two particular people will be in England and ensure they can move in to arrest them after the case is over.”

“No surveillance,” the detective warned. “If they are the ones behind these crimes, they’ll spot it and run. They can’t make a move until we have all the evidence needed to successfully prosecute them.”

“The pair of them won’t be tipped off,” the doctor told him, reaching for her mobile as Sherlock stacked the files to read through later and returned to his task of arranging the music. “These people know how to remain unseen, and I expect we’ll be their eyes and ears inside of the competition.”

“I dislike being used by some unknown organization,” he replied, sitting down on the sofa once again. “Especially since I do not know have all of the data on them as well as the two that you recognized.”

“Do you trust me, Sherlock,” she asked, blue eyes meeting the unusually colored ones.

“With my life,” the man answered back in an honest tone, bringing a small smile to the woman’s face when she heard his words.

“Then trust me when I say that this is necessary and there will be no errors made that will alert the two to any sort of suspicion about them,” Johanna told him, seeing when he relaxed.

“I will but make no mistake, if they botch the case, I will demand retribution,” Sherlock warned, watching as his friend’s face took on a serious expression.

“So will I,” she answered back grimly, then headed up to her room to make the necessary calls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s End Note – We get a bit of a hint as to Johanna’s military history, and it seems to have intrigued Sherlock a bit. I have the music chosen that Sherlock and Johanna will play for the competition, and I’ll post the link to the playlist I made for this story soon. Thank you for reading, and I will see everyone next chapter. ~ Laran

**Author's Note:**

> Author’s End Note – Well, here’s the first chapter of “A Study in Duets.” In regards to the violin Sherlock owns, the story behind it will emerge in this tale. I really hope everyone enjoys this, and please let me know what you guys think of it. See everyone next chapter, Laran.


End file.
